Sefer Yafeh Mareh With the Holy Handwriting of the Righteous Gaon Rabbi Mordechai Zvi Segal Horowitz ...

Sefer Yafeh Mareh With the Holy Handwriting of the Righteous Gaon Rabbi Mordechai Zvi Segal Horowitz, ABD Brod, son of the Righteous Gaon Rabbi Itzik'l Hamburger, the primary teacher in niglah of the Maggid of Kozhnitz Zt''l.

Also bearing signatures of early Ashkenazi sages, ancestors of great Chassidic leaders, of blessed memory.

On the top of the title page, there is a signature and dedication by the Gaon Rabbi Yosef Yozfa HaKohen Shatin, the grandfather of the holy Rebbi Chanoch Henich of Alexander.

Sefer Yafeh Mareh a commentary on the Agadot (legends) of the Sages by Rabbeinu Shmuel Ashkenazi of Constantinople, with the commentary Yofi M’Klal by Rabbi Yechiel Michel Chasid, Av Beit Din of Berlin. Berlin, 1725 – First edition of the *Yofi M’Klal* commentary.

On the title page is the signature ‘Mordechai Zvi Segal Horowitz, ’ which is the holy handwriting of the Righteous Gaon Rabbeinu Mordechai Zvi Horowitz, Av Beit Din of Brod, son of the renowned Gaon Rabbeinu Itzik'l Hamburger (a peer of the author of Noda BiYehuda). He was the primary teacher [in revealed aspects of Torah] of the Light of Israel, the holy Maggid of Kozhnitz, of blessed memory. (See *Ma'orot Me'Olam HaTorah*, Rabbi Yitzchak Alfasi, p. 183).

Additionally, on the title page are handwritten dedications : "Given to me as a gift by the distinguished scribe Rabbi Menachem Man, may he be remembered, the humble Yosef Yozfa."

"A gift for the sermon to the complete and good-natured groom, wise Rabbi Yitzchak, son of the esteemed and distinguished scholar Rabbi Yissachar Segal, judge of the holy community of Kalisz. From me, the humble Yosef HaKohen Shatin, of Frankfurt am Main, may his city be blessed, Parashat Vayechi 1719."

These dedications are in the handwriting of the Gaon Rabbeinu Yosef Yozfa HaKohen of Shatin, one of the great Torah scholars of Frankfurt, the father of the holy Rabbi Chanoch Henich HaKohen Shatin, and grandfather of the holy Rebbi Chanoch Henich of Alexander, of blessed memory.

In the first dedication, the Gaon Rabbeinu Yosef Yozfa writes that he received this sefer as a gift from the renowned scribe R’ Menachem Man (author of She'erit Yisrael, which is part two of the sefer Josippon). In the second dedication, Rabbi Yosef gives the sefer as a gift to the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak, son of the Gaon Rabbi Yissachar, judge of the holy community of Kalisz.

Additional signatures in the sefer include ‘Yesha’i (Fishel?) Segal Horowitz, ’ ‘the humble Mordechai Zvi Horowitz, ’ and on the last page, it is noted: "This sefer belongs to... son-in-law of my master, the Gaon Av Beit Din of the holy community of Piotrków."

On page [2], a kvittel is written for good remembrance: "Given as a gift for the sermon by Yissachar Beirish, son of Rachel (from the city of Łódź) for healing and salvation in all matters for good, his wife Malka Rivka, daughter of Matil, for healing."

Stamp: "Avraham Yissachar Englerd, Av Beit Din of the holy community of Sosnowiec, " (he was the Rebbe of Radzin in Bnei Brak, may his memory be blessed).

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The Righteous Gaon Rabbeinu Mordechai Zvi HaLevi Horowitz (passed away in 1813), Av Beit Din of Horchov (Horokhiv; Galicia) and Brod, was the primary teacher of the holy Maggid of Kozhnitz, of blessed memory. He was the eldest son of the renowned Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi Horowitz, known as R’ Itzik'l Hamburger, of blessed memory, Av Beit Din of Hamburg.

The world of the yeshivas is familiar with the debate between Rabbi Itzik'l Hamburger and Rabbeinu Noda BiYehuda on the issue of forced divorce, whether the agent of the get is considered an agent for a sinful matter, thereby invalidating the divorce. See the detailed discussion on this dispute in Ketzot HaChoshen (Siman 182, Subsection 2), Shu"t Turei Even (Siman 35), and more.

Rabbi Mordechai Zvi also participated in this debate, responding to Rabbeinu Noda BiYehuda to defend his father's opinion. Rabbeinu Noda BiYehuda replied to him with great respect: "God be with you, mighty warrior, with great strength, without fear, behold my beloved, my brother-in-law, my friend and dear one, the great, outstanding and distinguished rabbi, sharp and perceptive, perfect in qualities and virtues... and his honor is to make his father meritorious, and the honor of his father burns within him and he strives to uphold his father's opinion." (Shu"t Noda BiYehuda Second Edition, Even HaEzer Siman 112). Rabbeinu Mordechai Zvi also discussed this matter with his brother-in-law, the author of Hafla’ah (printed in Shu"t Givat Pinchas Siman 29/30), who praised his words.

Some of his responsa were printed in the sefer Shu"t Lechem Matzah, where he was questioned by the rabbis of his generation, including his nephew, the holy Rabbi Aryeh Leibush Horowitz, Av Beit Din of Stanislav, author of sefer Pnei Aryeh (see there, Siman 7). Rabbeinu had a prestigious yeshiva, and among his students, the holy Maggid of Kozhnitz, of blessed memory, was prominent, as mentioned. See Ma'orot Me'Olam HaTorah (Rabbi Yitzchak Alfasi, p. 183).

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The Gaon Rabbeinu Yosef Yozfa Katz Shatin, one of the greats of Frankfurt am Main, was appointed Av Beit Din of Lissa and Dobrin in 1760, and head of the yeshiva in the holy community of Glogau for fifteen years. He was raised and educated by his grandfather, the esteemed Gaon Rabbeinu Shmuel HaKohen Shatin (Maharshal's son), author of Kos Yeshuot and grandfather of the Chasam Sofer, of blessed memory. After his grandfather's death, he was chosen as Av Beit Din of the city of Dobrin in Germany, and from there he moved to serve as Av Beit Din at the Great Synagogue of Glogau. Upon the appointment of Rabbi Yaakov Yekel HaLevi Horowitz as Av Beit Din of the city, they became beloved friends who were inseparable. Rabbi Yosef Yozfa passed away together with his righteous wife, Mrs. Yidel, on the 13th of Tevet. He left behind two sons: Rabbi Chanoch Henich of Kalisz (grandfather of the holy Rabbi of Alexander) and Rabbi Binyamin Zev Katz Shatin, Av Beit Din of Erfurt. His son, the holy Rabbi Chanoch Henich HaKohen Shatin, was the grandfather of the holy Rebbi Chanoch Henich of Alexander, of blessed memory. (Otzar HaRabbanim 8020).

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The father of the recipient of this sefer, the Gaon Rabbi Yissachar Segal Horowitz, was born in Kalisz and served as a dayan (rabbinic judge) there. He later served as Av Beit Din of Kolomai, author of Hilula D'Pischa on the Passover Haggadah. His father was the Gaon Rabbi Yehoshua Horowitz, Av Beit Din of Pidkamien and Chortkov, son of the Gaon Rabbi Moshe, Av Beit Din of Chortkov, and son-in-law of the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak HaLevi Horowitz, R’ Itzik'l Hamburger, of blessed memory.

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[4], 214 leaves. 34.5 cm.  Good to fair condition . Stains, wear, and missing pieces on the front protective leaf, the title page, and additional pages, mostly restored with paper completion or gluing. Wormholes in some of the pages. Inscriptions and stamps. New, luxurious binding with gold decorations.